Bobbin-holder and thread-catcher.



No. 632,473. Patented Sept. 5, I899. .1. nomzv.

BOBBIN HOLDER AND THREAD CATCHEB.

(Application filed May 2, 1899.)

(No Model.)

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NITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

JOI-IN HONEY, OF \VOONSOOKET, RHODE ISLAND.

BOBBlN-HOLDER AND THREAD-CATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,47 3, datedSeptember 5, 1899.

Application filed May 2, 1899. Serial No. 715,336. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN RONEY, acitizen of the United States, residingat Woonsocket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island,have invented new and useful Improvementsin BobbinHolders and Thread-Oatchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in bobbin-holders andthread-catchers; and the invention resides more particularly in themeans for catching and holding the thread just prior to the doffing of afilled bobbin and during the starting operation of building a new orempty bobbin, the construction and arrangement of the various partsbeing such that the mere act of doffing the bobbin through thecooperation of the faller-wire will cause the thread to be caught andheld until anew or empty bobbin has been placed over the spindle andforced into its seat, so as to turn with the spindle. The act of forcingthe head of the bobbin into the holder will cause the catch to releaseitself from the thread, thereby allowing the operation of removing afilled bobbin and the placing of an empty one to continue without anycare or attention from the attendant and absolutely without any waste orentangling of the thread.

The many objects and advantages which my invention possesses will appearfrom the following description and claims when taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is an elevation of aspindle and bobbin with parts broken and showing my improvementsapplied, with a part of the cop to illustrate how the thread is carriedprior to the action of the catcher. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section ofthe same with the empty bobbin in a position to be inserted in its seatand open the catcher. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the bobbin-holderwith the spindle broken away, and Fig. etis a. perspective view of theslidable disk which serves, with the fixed disk of the spindle, incatching the thread.

Referring by letter to said drawings, A indicates a spindle, and B abobbin, which may be of the form and construction usually employed onmules and spinning-frames. I have not illustrated any driving means forthe spindle, the faller-wire, or any of its operativemechanism, as suchdevices form no part of my invention.

a The spindle is provided at a suitable altitude with a disk a, whichmay be fixed thereto in a horizontal position by means of a collar b orotherwise. This disk is provided in its periphery with transversenotches c to afford a receiver and passage for the thread, as will behereinafter more fullydescribed. On this disk at, which is fixed to thespindle, I arrange the clamping-plates cl. In the present illustration Ihave shown three plates, although it is obvious that more or less may beused. These plates, which are each formed from a separate piece of metalor other suitable material, are bent or shaped so as to conform to thecircumference of the bobbin-head and receive the same when forced to itsseat. The plates are also bent outwardly, as shown at e, so as toreceive an encircling spring f, and they areprovided on their innersides with a recess a, which is inclined to receive the upper ends ofcurved branches rising from a slidable disk, as will be hereinafter morefully described. The spring is shown as composed of spiral wire,althoughany other spring which will tend to force the plates inwardly may beused. These plates should be permitted to have a radial movement or rockin their bearings, so as to move inwardly and outwardly in clamping andreleasing the bobbin.

For the sake of cheapness in construction I prefer to provide the fixeddisk a at such points as where the clamping-plates are disposed withvertically-disposed slots or openings g and to provide the lower edgesof the plates cl with short outwardly-bent branches h to take throughsaid slots. This construction, while a cheap and durable one, may bevariedaccording to the fancy or dictation of the manufacturer, as it isonly necessary that the clamping-plates should have a radial movementwith respect to the spindle.

G indicates a slidable disk. This disk is provided with a central holeor aperture 1' to receive the spindle and is placed belowthe fixed diskCb thereon. This slidable disk may be and preferably is of a lessdiameter than the fixed disk, and it has rising from it a plurality ofarms or branches j, which pass through slots in the fixed disk a, andsuch arms or branches are turned or bent slightly outward at their upperends, as shown at Z. These arms or branches, which move up and down inthe slots 7a of the fixed disk, pass into the recesses a on the innersides of the plates cl, so as to throw them outwardly. The form of thebranches serves to hold the disk 0 slidably to the fixed disk, and byreason of the bends in said branches and the employment of the recessesa in the plates d it will be seen that when the plate 0 has beenelevated the branches will force the bobbin upwardly, and when about tobe released by the clampingplates d the bent ends of the branches willenter the recesses a, and the recesses being on an incline, as shown,the action of the springfwill draw the slidable disk upwardly and holdit firmly in such position against the under side of the fixed disk, soas to retain the thread until the seating of another bobbin forces downthe arms, and consequently the disk 0, away from the disk at.

The slidable disk 0 is also provided with small lugs m, and these lugs,when the disk 0 has been raised to its fullest extent, such as whencatching the thread, enter holes or slots 02 formed in the fixed platea; but I would have it understood that I do not wish to limit myself tothe use of these lugs, and consequently the slots or holes to receivethem, as they may in some cases be dispensed with and the marginal edgeof the disk, which projects beyond the branches j, made to catch thethread by contact with the under side of the fixed disk, although Iprefer to use such lugs and slots.

In making the construction of catcher which I have illustrated thenotches in the periphcry of the fixed disk and also the various slotstherein may be cut or formed by a single operation, and in constructingthe slidable disk I may take a piece of metal of a sufficient size andthickness and stamp or cut the same by one operation, so as to form thecentral hole and also the branches and parts from which the lugs areformed. The lugs and branches in the first stage being in the samehorizontal plane as the body it is simply necessary to bend or turnupwardly the various members and shape the same to enter the slots ofthe fixed disk, as before described. The arms or branches j of theslidable disk 0 may be of less height than the plates (1!, so that inentering the bobbin the head of the same will rest upon the'upper endsof said arms of the slidable disk in order that the forcing down of thebobbin in the holder will depress the arms or branches, and consequentlyseparate the slidable disk from the fixed disk.

A bobbin having been built or filled by the usual operation and thetaller-wire having carried the thread through one of the notches of thefixed disk and below said disk in a diagonal manner, after the threadhas been wound once or more around the arms or branches j of theslidable disk the catcher is ready to operate, when by the mere act ofdoffing the bobbin, which is caused by lifting the disk 0, the threadwill be clamped between the under side of the fixed disk and the upperside of the slidable disk. An important part of the operation here takesplace by reason of the inclined recesses in the inner sides of theclamping-plates d and the formation of the branches j, as it will beseen that when the bobbin has been lifted by such branches and whenabout to be released by V the clamping-plates a quick upward movementwill be given to the disk 0 by the cooperation of the spring f backingthe plates d and acting upon the branches, which will cause the plate ordisk 0 to snugly press the under side of the fixed disk at, so that thethread clamped between the two will be securely held thereby untilanother bobbin has been placed in the seat and caused to force down thebranches j, and consequently the plate 0. In lifting the plate 0 thearms Z will contact frictionally with the inner sides of the plates d,so as to force them outwardly,- and at the same time engage and lift thebobbin from its seat, so that it will be seen that the mere act ofdoffing the bobbin will catch and hold the thread until the properseating of a new bobbin has taken place. Then a new bobbin has beenplaced upon the holder and the faller-wire by the usual operation hastaken the thread to the same, by forcing the bobbin down in its seat thehead of the bobbin will force downwardly the arms or branches j bycontact therewith, and 1 consequently open the catcher and release thethread by separating the slidable disk from the fixed disk. The notchesin the pcriphery of the fixed disk will of course re ceive the threadwhen it has been moved diagonally by the taller-wire whether the spindleis moving to the right or left, and the thread-catcher will act the samein either case.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is- 1. The combinationwith a spindle; of a disk fixed thereto, radially-movableclamping-plates mounted on the fixed disk and backed by a spring, and aslidable disk having arms or branches adapted to frictionally engage theinner sides of the clamping-plates and also engage the lower end of abobbin, substantially as specified.

2. The combination with a spindle; of a disk fixed thereto,radially-movable plates mounted on the upper side of the disk and backedby a spring, said plates being adapted to embrace the lower end of abobbin, and Vertically-movable arms passing through the disk carryingsaid plates and adapted to frictionally engage the inner sides of theplates and move the same outwardly and from ongageinent with the bobbin,substantially as specified.

3. The combination with a spindle; of the peripherally-notched disksecured thereto and carrying a suitable bobbin-seat, and thevertically-slidable disk movable below the fixed disk and having armstaking through slots in the fixed disk, and also having lugs (as m)taking through slots in said fixed disk, sub stantially as specified.

4. A revoluble spindle adapted to carry a bobbin, a disk fixed to saidspindle, a series of clamping-plates circularly grouped and mounted uponthe disk so as to embrace the lower end of the bobbin; in combinationwith a verticallyanovablc disk connected with the fixed disk and havingarms or branches adapted to frictionaliy engage the inner sides of theclamping-plates so as to disengage the same from the bobbin,substantially as specified.

5. In a bobbin-holder, arevoluble spindle, a disk fixed to it and havingnotches in its periphery; combined with a disk movable on the spindleand having arms passing through slots in the fixed disk, two or moreradiallymovable plates supported on the fixed disk and adapted to beengaged by the arms of the movable or slidable disk and also adapted toembrace the lower end of a bobbin, substantially as specified.

0. The combination with a spindle; of a disk fixed thereto,radially-movable clamping-plates mounted on said disk and having theirinner sides provided with inclined re cesses, a spring backing theplates, and a slidable disk below the fixed disk having arms bentoutwardly to enter the recesses of the clamping-plates, substantially asspecified.

7. A bobbin-seat having radially-movable clamping-plates encircled by aspring and provided on their inner sides with inclined recesses; incombination with a disk movable up and down on the spindle and havingarms adapted to frictionally engage the recesses of the clamping-platesuntil disengaged by the seating of a bobbin, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit-- nesses.

JOHN HONEY.

ll itnesses:

E. Ln ROY SPAULDING, Gno. W. SPAUL'DING.

